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Archiver > TMG > 2002-08 > 1028302384


From: "Cliff Soderback" <>
Subject: Re: [TMG] Source standards -- was Mills Source for Memorial?
Date: Fri, 2 Aug 2002 08:33:09 -0700
References: <3D49A4FF.B05928B9@reigelridge.com> <012201c239d9$0db2bfe0$7491c540@oemcomputer>


> > I don't have Lackey's book, but Mills certainly did. Look at the example
> for Bible Record, pg 65 - note that
> > the example is privately held.
>
> I do have Lackey's book, and under Bible Record here are a few quotes:
"The
> fact that most Bible records are in private hands increases the danger of
> such records being lost or unavailable to future researchers." (CITE, p.
64)
> The citation examples imply that you should describe the condition of the
> record precisely. The second example on p. 65, where his source is a
family
> Bible, includes this "Location of the original Bible remains unknown after
> inquiry; a notation...This Bible was printed in Edinburgh...in 1806,...(he
> describes the history of the missing Bible and also describes what it
looked
> like, mentions a handwritten copy of the family entries made in 1924 of
> which he has a photocopy. It's a long cite.<g>)
> He doesn't require that you state it is "in the top dresser drawer"
but
> at least the person who holds it with their address.<g>
>
> Chuck Wolfram
>

I am glad that this his provocted some serious discussion. As I read it,
in both
books they stress the verification of information, but in these cases they
kind of
waffle with a lot of words.

Although I don't know all the details I read that the D.A.R. went through
this a few years ago
and threw out quite a number of supposed family trees, for the reason that
they could not
be verified, although the information was quoted from private sources that
couldn't be verified,
and turned out to be wrong.

As more and more information is passed around on the Internet, the greater
likelyhood
of pure ficiton creeping into what is passed off as data. This amplifies the
importance
of information verification, otherwise we are just writing a novel. There is
nothing more
frustating than to follow fictional information and of course you will find
nothing when you
try to verify this informaiton because it is ficiton. I wish I could
remember the hours I have
spent following nonexistent trails.

If the information is verifiable, then future reseachers can use this
factual information to
further their work and expamd their database, if the information is fiction
then it is just
a waste of time for those in the future because they are guarenteed to find
nothing.


Cliff Soderback





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